Masakazu Imanari
| birth_place = Japan | death_date = | death_place = | death_cause = | residence = | nationality = Japanese | height = | weight = | weightclass = Bantamweight, Featherweight, Lightweight | reach = | style = Catch Wrestling, BJJ | stance = | fightingoutof= Tokyo, Japan | team = Nippon Top Team | rank = brown belt in BJJ | yearsactive = | mmawins = 18 | mmakowins = 1 | mmasubwins = 12 | mmadecwins = | mmalosses = 7 | mmakolosses = | mmasublosses = | mmadeclosses = | mmadraws = 1 | mmancs = | url = | sherdog = | footnotes = | updated = }} is a Japanese mixed martial arts fighter best known for his adept skill with leglocks. He fights out of Team Roken in Kanagawa, Japan. He currently has a professional MMA record of 16-7-1 with notable victories over Danny Batten, Jorge Gurgel, Mike Brown, Robbie Olivier, Jean Silva and Yoshiro Maeda. He is a veteran of Kingdom, DEEP, ZST, Pride Fighting Championships, and Cage Rage. He also has had a successful career in Combat Wrestling, placing as high as 3rd and 2nd in their All-Japan championship tournaments. He is the current Cage Rage Featherweight Champion, DEEP Bantamweight Champion and the former DEEP Featherweight Champion. Mixed Martial Arts career ZST Imanari gained popularity during his his mixed martial arts career in Japanese promotion ZST fighting the likes of top lightweights including Dokonjonosuke Mishima, Jorge Gurgel and Marcus Aurelio even when he was much smaller in the Featherweight division. He defeated Gurgel, who is a Brazilian Jujitsu black belt currently in the UFC via submission (heel hook) while Imanari was a much lower rank in Brazilian Jujitsu as well as lighter in weight. Imanari also defeated current Cage Warriors Featherweight Champion, Batten. In the first round Batten took Imanari down on the ropes but Imanari attempted a triangle choke, Batten escaped it but Imanari then transitioned to an armbar causing Batten to submit in just over 40 seconds. DEEP Imanari moved on to compete in DEEP where he defeated a top WEC contender and the former WEC Featherweight Champion Mike Brown via submission (heel hook) where Brown's leg became dislocated. Imanari now a top contender in DEEP went on to compete for the title shot against Yoshiro Maeda in which he defeated Maeda via submission (toe hold) to become the new DEEP Featherweight Champion. Imanari made his first KO victory in his first defense for the belt against Takeshi Yamazaki with a flying kick. Cage Rage In his next fight which was his first fight outside Tokyo, Japan was in London, UK where he became the Cage Rage World Featherweight champion by defeating Robbie Olivier with a flying armbar at Cage Rage 20, making him the only mixed martial artist in the Featherweight division to hold belts in two separate major promotions (DEEP and Cage Rage). He defended his Cage Rage belt for the first time against Jean Silva, winning by reverse heel hook in the first round injuring Silva's knee in the process. He is known for his proficiency in leglocks and his tendency to constantly pursue them. Dream Featherweight Grand Prix Imanari was a participant in the Dream Featherweight(63kg/138lbs) Grand Prixhttp://mmafighting.com/news/2009/02/05/13-fighters-announced-dream-featherweight-gp and won his first-round matchup against Atsushi Yamamoto by split decision at Dream.7 but was defeated at Dream.9 by current DREAM Featherweight champion Bibiano Fernandes. Personal life Masakazu Imanari is part of "Nippon Top Team" which also includes current WAMMA and DREAM Lightweight champion and Shooto Middleweight Champion Shinya Aoki, and former Sengoku champion Satoru Kitaoka. His Japanese nickname of "Ashikan Judan" translated literally into English means "10th Dan of Leglocks", but can be roughly considered equivalent to "The Master of Leglocks". Mixed martial arts record References External links * Sherdog profile Category:1976 births Category:Japanese mixed martial artists Category:Living people ja:今成正和